AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She’s still smiling, somehow seeing so much and taking it all in her stride.
“He’s waiting for you.” She nods toward Sigurd. From her place in the chair, she can probably see even more than me.
“I can’t leave you. I just got back.” I return to her chair, kneeling by the side, my arms propped over the armrest.
“You kids, always fussing over me.” She clucks her tongue. “I’m stronger than I look.”
“I know, but I…”
Gran cups my cheek in her hand, and I savor the moment. “I’m so glad you’re back, Wren. I love you so much, and I’m so happy you’re as well as I believed. Truly. But you don’t have to stay here on account of me if you’d rather be somewhere else.”
I shake my head. “But then who?”
She pulls her hand back into her lap. “Matt and I talked about him staying with me for a while.”
“Matt has work. His deployment.”
Gran just smiles. “He’s honorably discharged. He wrote to me about it, asking to stay. Said he wants a civilian life, a quiet life, at least for a while. But, Wren, I think he also wants to give you a break. Let you stretch your wings for a while, like he did. Matt knows how much you wanted to travel, as do I.”
The tears come back again, one slipping down my cheek before I can stop it.
“I started to tell you before you left for work that day,” she continues, “but it didn’t seem right to spoil his surprise. Matt wanted to tell you all about it himself when he got here. Plus, I knew you might fuss, and I didn’t want to make you late.”
Thatwas what she wanted to tell me. And here I thought it was another lecture about college or something. In the end, it was about me getting out of our small town, but more than that. If Matt truly wants to stay here for a while, live with Gran, then I can go. Maybe split my time between the two worlds for a while.
Gran pats my hand. “Spread your wings, Wren. Go have your adventure.”
A huff of laughter slips from my lips. “I already did that.”
“A new one then,” she says. Something sparkles in her eyes. But she blinks, and it’s gone. “Maybe with that handsome gentleman of yours.”
My cheeks warm at the comment. Even if Sigurd didn’t have fae hearing, he’d have heard that one. Another tear slides free, and I hastily wipe it away.
“Would you like to meet him?” I ask.
Gran smacks my hand. “About time you asked.”
I laugh at her antics and help her up. As I lead Gran out onto the porch to meet Sigurd, who now stands by the railing, looking resplendent and smiling at us, my heart has never been so full. The people I love most are safe. They’re all together. And the future has never looked quite so bright.
